Biology and Culture: Ethnographic and Anthropological Perspectives on Gene-Culture Coevolution

Abstract

This article provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the interaction between genetic, neural, and cultural factors underlying key human capacities such as language, ritual, art, and complex social organization. The study is based on the concept of gene-culture coevolution, which demonstrates that culture can generate selective pressures while also being shaped by biological influences, forming a dynamic feedback loop between the two. Ethnographic examples from diverse contexts – including Andean and Tibetan highland societies, Nicaraguan sign languages, Aboriginal Australian practices, and Ugandan educational reforms – illustrate the variety of adaptive strategies. These cases show how culture can both compensate for and reinforce biological influences. Published field data on topics such as high-altitude adaptation, linguistic environments, and ritual systems highlight the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that integrates genetics, neurobiology, ethnography, and cultural anthropology. In conclusion, the study emphasizes that overcoming the simplistic nature versus nurture dichotomy requires acknowledging the synergy between biological and cultural mechanisms that drive the coevolution of cognitive and social capacities in Homo sapiens, particularly in the context of globalization and technological advancement.